LeBron and the Cavs Dressing in Custom Suits Is the Ultimate NBA Style Flex

In the world of professional athletics, basketball is at the top of the style heap. It's really because of the hallway—aka the concrete runway—where the players are photographed before and after the game, wearing their own outfits of choice. It's become a sort of de facto red carpet, where players compete for best-dressed. And now, it's also a place to make a unified statement, like the ever-stylish Cleveland Cavaliers did this week when the team stepped out in matching Thom Browne suits.

IMAGE AJ Mast/ The New York Times/ Redux

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The team wore the custom-fitted suits, shoes, and accessories before games three and four against the Indiana Pacers this past weekend. According to The New York Times, this was a concept originally dreamt up by Browne and Dwyane Wade, who passed it to LeBron James once Wade was traded back to Miami Heat. The concept plays into team unity, rather than individual competition. It's a silent, friendly reminder that the team is really what's important here. While so many basketball players go on to become celebrities in their own right, the game itself should be about the group effort.

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The suits themselves are definitively stylish, too. Any gray or black suit might get lost in a crowd, but Browne's signature detailing—and impeccable tailoring—make those sometimes-understated styles as bold as it can get. The players wore the custom suits with white dress shirts, ties, Browne's grosgrain-trimmed cardigans, thick black boots, and pocket squares. (James is also in custom Thom Browne Beats Studio3 Wireless headphones, which is a style swerve all its own.) It lacks the flash we're used to seeing in those pre-game shots, opting for perfectly executed subtlety, instead—which is exactly what makes this move stand out.

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This story originally appeared on Esquire.com. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.